title: Enlarging photovoltaic effect: combination of classic photoelectric and ferroelectric photovoltaic effects.
abstract: Converting light energy to electrical energy in photovoltaic devices relies on the photogenerated electrons and holes separated by the built-in potential in semiconductors. Photo-excited electrons in metal electrodes are usually not considered in this process. Here, we report an enhanced photovoltaic effect in the ferroelectric lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) by using low work function metals as the electrodes. We believe that electrons in the metal with low work function could be photo-emitted into PLZT and form the dominant photocurrent in our devices. Under AM1.5 (100 mW/cm²) illumination, the short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage of Mg/PLZT/ITO are about 150 and 2 times of those of Pt/PLZT/ITO, respectively. The photovoltaic response of PLZT capacitor was expanded from ultraviolet to visible spectra, and it may have important impact on design and fabrication of high performance photovoltaic devices based on ferroelectric materials.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Photovoltaic Research Institute of Soochow University & Canadian Solar Inc., Department of Physics, Soochow University, 1 Shizi street, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jingjiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Mingrong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Lingjun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Wenxiu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Mengyu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Guifu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zou